Kennedy Center Honorees: All from the entertainment industry?

[gyroscope]

I was watching the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors this weekend (rerun on Youtube) and the honorees were Dustin Hoffman, David Letterman, Led Zeppelin and a few others. All the award recipients were from the entertainment industry, just as they appear to be every year. Pres. Obama and the first lady were in attendance.

But don't they have enough award shows for these people? Emmy's Oscars, Grammys, Golden Globes there's like a gazillion national televised award shows for people from the entertainment industry. Why doesn't the Kennedy Center honor people who are working to come up with a cure for cancer and other diseases or something like that. It doesn't seem appropriate to me that a place like this would appear as if they are trying to compete with the Oscar Awards.

Every time I hear about some famous person going to the WH to meet the president its always some singer actor or sports figure. With the constant parade of entertainment people shuffling through its doors each day the WH looks like the Playboy mansion with the President playing the part of Hugh Heffner hosting them.

[djean111]

1. The Kennedy center Honors are specifically for the performing arts.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/honors/

The Kennedy Center Honors provide recognition to living individuals who throughout their lifetimes have made significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts. The primary criterion is excellence, and artistic achievement in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures, and television is considered.

The reason that is the only thing you read about in the general media is because not many people tune in for scientists.
However, you could bookmark the whitehouse.gov site and keep track of what you are more interested in:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/21/president-obama-honors-nation-s-top-scientists-and-innovators

President Obama Honors Nation’s Top Scientists and Innovators

President Obama today named twelve eminent researchers as recipients of the National Medal of Science and eleven extraordinary inventors as recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest honors bestowed by the United States Government upon scientists, engineers, and inventors. The recipients will receive their awards at a White House ceremony in early 2013.

“I am proud to honor these inspiring American innovators,” President Obama said. “They represent the ingenuity and imagination that has long made this Nation great—and they remind us of the enormous impact a few good ideas can have when these creative qualities are unleashed in an entrepreneurial environment.”

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. Awarded annually, the Medal recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering. A committee of Presidential appointees selects nominees on the basis of their extraordinary knowledge in and contributions to chemistry, engineering, computing, mathematics, or the biological, behavioral/social, and physical sciences.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was created by statute in 1980 and is administered for the White House by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Patent and Trademark Office. The award recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the Nation’s technological workforce. Nominees are selected by a distinguished independent committee representing the private and public sectors.

The recipients are listed on the site.

Oh, and I would imagine that the president hosts a lot more business and military and foreign visitors than he does entertainers.
You just don't seek out that information, but I believe there is a log of daily visitors and events that is available. You are welcome.

[onenote]

2. The Kennedy Center honors people from the entertainment world

because the Kennedy Center is an entertainment venue. Why would it be appropriate for an entertainment venue to start awarding medals for achievement in medicine? If Johns Hopkins handed out awards to actors would that be appropriate?

Duh.

By the way, there are multiple awards given out by the White House to honor achievement in non-entertainment field. Here are a couple:

http://www.neh.gov/news/press-release/2014-07-22

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/20/obama-to-honor-16-people-with-presidential-medal-of-freedom/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/12/23/president-obama-honors-outstanding-early-career-scientists

[MineralMan]

3. You do know that the Kennedy Center is an entertainment venue, right?

Are you really concerned about another entertainment awards thing? Seems odd to me. I believe your concern is misplaced. Perhaps the Kennedy Center Honors is a conspiracy theory in the making. Who knows, and you just know the government won't tell us.

[gyroscope]

7. Well we don't need another one.

100% of the nationally televised award shows are for people from the entertainment industry or sports. and I enjoy some of these shows, but why can't just one of them be for just normal people who are doing admirable things?

it kind of indicates to me how screwed up our values are and the Hollywood/entertainment saturated culture of celebrity worship we live in.

[JI7]

9. because private individuals are less likely to want to be on TV , CNN does a Heroes thing every year

i don't watch most of the entertainment award shows and you aren't required to watch it either.

[MineralMan]

10. Ah. Well, you'd know best, I suppose.

Perhaps, though, others don't agree with your assessment of this. It is, after all, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as has been pointed out to you. Perhaps you should skip any airing of the awards, I guess.

There are many other awards given to non-entertainment people, but I haven't seen you mention those. Just this one. Why is that, I wonder?

[gyroscope]

13. I'm speaking of

nationally televised award shows in particular. because people's values are shaped by what they see on television and major media for better or worse.

the underlying message seems to be...only people from the entertainment industry are worthy or important enough to receive formal recognition on national TV.

[jberryhill]

4. "each day"

Yes, that's what goes on at the White House each day.

Lol

[djean111]

5. "With the constant parade of entertainment people shuffling through its doors each day the WH looks

like the Playboy mansion with the President playing the part of Hugh Heffner hosting them."

Now, THAT looks like something Limburger would say, really..........

[JI7]

11. yup, like wingnuts complaining about secret service protection

and just about everything else that previous presidents did. but suddenly it's an outrage now.

[frazzled]

6. Hello? It's the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

So the awards they give (which have nothing to do with the White House, by the way--ZERO: the president just attends the ceremony) have to do with ... um ... performing artists: actors, musicians, dancers, singers.

The White House has its own National Medals of Arts, which includes as well writers, architects, painters, filmmakers, etc. They were recently awarded for 2013 to:

• Julia Alvarez, novelist, poet, and essayist, for her extraordinary storytelling. In poetry and in prose, Ms. Alvarez explores themes of identity, family, and cultural divides. She illustrates the complexity of navigating two worlds and reveals the human capacity for strength in the face of oppression.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music, presenter, for innovative contributions to the performing and visual arts. For over 150 years, BAM has showcased the works of both established visionaries and emerging artists who take risks and push boundaries.
• Joan Harris, arts patron, for supporting creative expression in Chicago and across our country. Her decades of leadership and generosity have enriched our cultural life and helped countless artists, dancers, singers, and musicians bring their talents to center stage.
• Bill T. Jones, dancer and choreographer, for his contributions as a dancer and choreographer. Renowned for provocative performances that blend an eclectic mix of modern and traditional dance, Mr. Jones creates works that challenge us to confront tough subjects and inspire us to greater heights.
• John Kander, musical theater composer, for his contributions as a composer. For more than half a century, Mr. Kander has enlivened Broadway, television, and film through songs that evoke romanticism and wonder and capture moral dilemmas that persist across generations.
• Jeffrey Katzenberg, director and CEO of DreamWorks, for lighting up our screens and opening our hearts through animation and cinema. Mr. Katzenberg has embraced new technology to develop the art of storytelling and transform the way we experience film. • Maxine Hong Kingston, writer, for her contributions as a writer. Her novels and non-fiction have examined how the past influences our present, and her voice has strengthened our understanding of Asian American identity, helping shape our national conversation about culture, gender, and race.
• Albert Maysles, documentary filmmaker, for rethinking and remaking documentary film in America. One of the pioneers of direct cinema, he has offered authentic depictions of people and communities across the globe for nearly 60 years. By capturing raw emotions and representations, his work reflects the unfiltered truths of our shared humanity.
• Linda Ronstadt, musician, for her one-of-a-kind voice and her decades of remarkable music. Drawing from a broad range of influences, Ms. Ronstadt defied expectations to conquer American radio waves and help pave the way for generations of women artists.
• Billie Tsien and Tod Williams, architects (receiving individual medals), for their contributions to architecture and arts education. Whether public or private, their deliberate and inspired designs have a profound effect on the lives of those who interact with them, and their teaching and spirit of service have inspired young people to pursue their passions.
• James Turrell, visual artist, recognized for his groundbreaking visual art. Capturing the powers of light and space, Mr. Turrell builds experiences that force us to question reality, challenging our perceptions not only of art, but also of the world around us. - See more at: http://arts.gov/news/2014/president-obama-award-2013-national-medals-arts#sthash.PmXZUzuD.dpuf

The WH also awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which in 2013 went to Ernie Banks (baseball), Ben Bradlee (journalism), Bill Clinton (pol.), Daniel Inouye (pol.), Daniel Kahneman (psychologist), Richard Lugar (pol), Loretta Lynn (entertainer), Mario Molina (chemist), Sally Ride (astronaut), Bayard Rustin (civil rights), Arturo Sandoval (jazz) ... and about a half dozen more.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with the comparable Congressional Gold Medal, bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award of the United States. It recognizes those individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors"

[JI7]

8. it's specifically about entertainment, there are other awards but we usually don't hear about them

as much because it is mostly private individuals .

the congressional gold medal, presidential medal of freedom. and many other awards.

watch cspan and they will usually show all the other events .

there are book awards also .

[Bluenorthwest]

12. It's the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

"The Kennedy Center Honors provide recognition to living individuals who throughout their lifetimes have made significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts. The primary criterion is excellence, and artistic achievement in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures, and television is considered."

I'm pretty sick of the right wing style bashing of the arts around here.

[NightWatcher]

14. Why do they always give Lord Stanley's Cup to a hockey team?

Throw me a frickin bone here.

[bigwillq]

15. BWAH!

[JI7]

16. with all the reality tv crap and wannabes on facebook, twitter etc. i see the value in a

lot of this entertainment even more these days.

people who can actually act, play music etc .